In 'Retirement,' Dickerson Still Knows His X's And O's

FROM THE CHEAP SEAT

Lots of good reading today. If you can't finish today's Cheap Seat before you leave the house, take it with you and read it while you wait in line for SunRays tickets at Tinker Field. . . .

Guess where I saw Eric Dickerson, the self-proclaimed greatest running back in the history of football Thursday afternoon? On Hollywood Squares, in the square next Joan Rivers, above Eva Gabor and below Gloria Loring. I sure hope they provided old Eric with good protection.

No, I don't make it a habit to watch Squares; we had USA Network on while waiting for the Masters to come on.

Eric proved to be quite the comedian. His first question, which was for a block, was, ''What is Mike Tyson's record?'' He said, ''Before or after Robin Givens and Ruth?'' Funny guy. He guessed 33-0 (this was recorded before Tyson's loss to Buster Douglas). Answer was 36-0, but the contestant agreed with Eric.

So ''X'' came back for the victory. The question was what eight lines are Sara Josepha Hale remembered for writing in 1830? '' Pledge of Allegiance,' '' Eric said. Ooooo. So close, Eric. It was ''Mary Had a Little Lamb.'' In ED's defense, in the next game he did know that Karl Malone is ''The Mailman.''

Most important, of course, is that Eric has found life after football. You like to see that.

Here's some interesting hockey news out of Miami, a rival of Orlando for more than the next baseball expansion franchise.

Miami Arena will be the site of an NHL exhibition Sept. 21 between the New York Rangers and Los Angeles Kings. You'll never guess how much tickets will cost for the first NHL game in Miami. Go ahead, try.

Wrong.

How about $20.75, $30.75 and $99? Yes, $99. And, of course, if you order through TicketMaster, there's a service charge of $3.50 per ticket on phone orders and $2.25 a pop at each outlet. (Tickets go on sale April 20.) The $99 tickets - 235 are available, so you'll have to hurry - will get you the ''Gretzky Hat Trick'' package, Gretzky being the great Wayne Gretzky of the Kings. The package includes a rink-side seat, a commemorative game puck and a color photo of No. 99 himself.

For an extra $25, Gretzky's bad-boy shadow, Marty McSorely, will come into the stands and clobber you with his stick. . . . Only kidding.

Before your Final Four euphoria dies down, you need to start thinking about next year's Final Four, which will be held at the Hoosier Dome in Indianapolis.

Information on how to receive an application for tickets to the 1991 Final Four can be obtained by calling 1-900-646-1991 or by writing to NCAA Final Four Tickets, 6201 College Blvd., Overland Park, Kan., 66211-2422.

Tickets will be somewhat easier to come by because the Hoosier Dome (37,409) can seat more than twice as many fans as Denver's McNichols Arena (17,000), site of the 1990 Final Four.

Cost is $60 for lower level and $40 for upper level. Two tickets may be ordered per application. Tickets are good for both semifinals on Saturday and the championship on Monday. The form must be received by the NCAA by April 30. Those arriving after the 30th will be returned.

Some 100,000 applications are expected. A random computerized drawing will select about 10,500 winners in the middle of May.

The dates for next year's Final Four are March 30 and April 1.

CHEAP SHOTS. As of Thursday afternoon, 400 tickets remained for tonight's Magic-Pacers game at Orlando Arena. Same number remain for Sunday's Magic-Rockets game, the Magic's only afternoon home game of the season. Game times: 7:30 Friday and 2:30 Sunday. Tickets are available at the arena or through TicketMaster (839-3900). . . . WWNZ-AM (740) will broadcast 90 of the Orlando SunRays' 144 games. David Steele and Chip Caray will split the play-by-play duties for the 46 home games, and Andrew Monaco will work all 44 road games. First radio game is 7 p.m. Saturday. . . . Jim Valvano may be holding on at North Carolina State, but he's already out as host of The Lighter Side of Sports. Former NFL star Lyle Alzado replaces Valvano. First show of the new season is 9:30 a.m. today on ESPN.